Device for removing obstructions from closet-bowls, &amp;c.



G. 'A. FISHER & J. A. MORRISON. DEVICE Boa. REMOVING OBSTEUGTIONS FROM CLOSET BOWLS, m.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 19, 1912.

1,051,992. atemea Feb. 4:, 1913.

yik/ 71m 432 Zorn which the following iiiv rsn seams GECRGE A. FISHER AND JOHN ALFRED MORRISON, 0F MINNEAPOLIS,

PATENT @FFKQEQ MINNESOTA.

I DEVICE FOR anmovrrie ossrnucrrons FROM CLOSET-BOWLS, &o.

aosieoa.

To all! whom it may mama; i

Be it known that we, GEORGE A. FISHER and JOHN A. Momnsori, citizens of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of-Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Removing Obstructions from Closet-Bowls, &c., of.

is a specification.

Our invention relates to a device for re-. moving obstructions from closet bowls, sink traps, and other inclosed portions'of plumbmg where matter may accumulate and cause cloggingand stoppage. Where such stoppage occurs it is usually customary to attempt to :torce'the matter through by mbans of a suction cap on' the end of a stick commonly termed a plumbers friend, and if' this fails to dislodge the clogging material a plumber is required to take the closet or other piece of plumbing apart and remove the obstruction. This'frequently results in the creating of, leaks, is unsanitary and expensive. Moveover, it necessitates the employment of askilled workman who frequently is not available when wanted.

It is the object of our invention to, provide a device which will be capable of being inserted through the irregularand contorted channel to the seat of the trouble, and can then be appliedto hook into or grip .the clogging matter so as to remove the same from the passage.

The full objects and advantages of our in-, vention will appear in connection with the detailed description thereof and are particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, illustratin the application of our invention in one 'orm,Figure l is a view of our device partlybroken awa gshowing the hooking means extended.

Fig. 2 is a view of a fragment of the hook,

end of the device with the coil broken away showing the hooks in retracted condition. Figs. 3 and 4 are views of difierent forms of hooks which may be employed. 7

f The body of our device comprises a coil of'wire 10. lhis may be ordinary steel wire nickeled or bronzed, and will be. of sufficient size and so coiled as to form at the same time a coil having capacity for exertconsiderable thrusting pressure and cientl flexible to follow the irregularities and sharp turns of the passages through which the coil will be inserted. The ends of "the coil may be ptovided with washers 11 Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed February 19, 1912. Serial No.

snap 1 5. Removabl'y .llatented Feb. a, was. 678,593.

and 12, although this-is not necessary as the last coil may be ground off flush and soldered upon the preceding coil which will have the efiectoi finishing the ends of the washers 11 and 12-. The coil as formed provides a flexible tubular member having a considerable degree of stiffness and tensile strength. lVithin the coil is positioned a Wire 13 of spring steel -01 other stifi and unyielding metal. If desired,insteadof the single wire a-Lplurality of wires twisted together may be employed. The wire will be provided with a ring 14.- at one end and at the other end with a rigidly connected grappling member 16. the grappling member is provided with a plurality of prongs 17 each having an outwardly turned book 18. In Fig. 4 substantially the same structure is shown ex; oegting that some of the prongs 17 are provi ed with inwardly turned hooks 19. grappling member shownin Fig. 3 comprises a pair of tongs 20 each provided with a sharp inwardly turned hook 21 and normally pressed apart by means of. a spring 22 between the ends of the tongs away from the hooks '21 and beyond thepivot 23 by which the tongs are secured together. A ring member 24 is loosely secured to the inner ends of the tongs 20 to which the member 15 may be connected. In operation, the grappling member, whichever form is used, will be drawn within the tubular coil 10, as shown in Fig. 2, in which position the prongs will be closed and the hook members rendered inoperative. The grapple end of the member 10 will then be inserted into the o enin lead. ing from the closet bowl or sinli, an owing to its combination of stifiness and flexibility it can be Worked around through the tor-' tutous-passages until the point of clogging is reached. In some cases it will be posinto the drain pipe by direct pressure of the endmf member 10( When' this cannot be done, which may usually be the case, by pushing on the Wire 13 the grapple hook 16 (or 20 if that form is used) will. be ejected from the end of upon the spring-prongs 17 or the tuated tongs 20 will spread. A ter "some littlemanipulation and twisting the hookef'i of he g pp The snap

'70 held in-this snap is. a As shown in Fig. 1,

106 sible to push the clogging material down member-10 where-. i iprlng aca. member will begin to. take hold of the clogging material, whereupon,

is upm'alm' will ll'u-uugl'h the ring 1% gimu' lull wnmleu rulziinm will; will PFHY Wu lliciaut meuns it can he HEZUUF fuc'turmf ply ihui; ii, um}; he: in any huuPelmlrl, when: ioppugu mu liw i'vuiucli? l. by the peoplh 0'. i luruse iinuuulizuely upnu 'XYR'LUTQl'lCQ with: 1'13? 1" 5&1 MCQS of plumlmr my other man .Tlf; (lE-Vififi will l e 'immd f Sim-(rial mlue in u'pz'u'imsu run iiuli lflllhiilig hula ums Wh-U'L is iux'nlwil ui'ul 1P3 C(lllfFldQl'illllii. in coiling Elm lulu) he iillll sn {lint czu-h with the one 1311 Lube W11" he coiled Hm H1111.

in u. sh'uighlt liuia 'ihus ill we lie" ic nu l resilient ilfll ii l in u,

'11 0f the 111ml- 1? he lulu will [)0 i :usliugfoi'nrcfmiu er the imu'u :iiufl klegi'cse u'izi have been cuufaenl lo 'iuhe farmed of a p011 of Wii 5 stuff link in ihe tube, and a. g apple On the hires: in pi'vsencuifi two witness We Claim:

1. ii. device for removing obstructions from passages in plumbing, cumprisingu arelutively end of the link'composed of a plurality of hooked init-rnl qi's said grapple bem'g movable entirely out 01' said tube, said members;

bein closed io 'ether when the 55m Jle is l; L: k. i

draw} u'ilihin the tube and being busted to spi'e d apart when he ejected from the tube.

5). device in]: removing; ohstruciious from massages in plun'ihiug, munpi'isiug u sprli gzu grapple 1s tirelv out 01'? suicl lube baud will) Jle comb 7 U i i prising a plurality of spring fingers unrmully lending in spread upzu'h some of will fingers being providecl wilh outwardly turned lmnlcs :uu'l-ntl'ier of said lingers llflY- ing iuwm-dly turned hooks. V

G116? G141 1%.. Fl Si l l l R. ilOl'lL ALFRED MORRISON. W itnesses P. DUimfOu,

. J. LEMON. 

